THE ENSEMBLE THEATRE
www.ensemblehouston.com
 

Artistic Director of The Ensemble Theatre EILEEN J. MORRIS

Presents

FROM MY HOMETOWN

Conceived by Lee Summers

Written by Lee Summers, Ty Stephens and Herbert Rawlings, Jr.

Directed & Choreographed by Patdro Harris

Musical Direction by Carlton Leake

June 27 - July 28, 2013

ALL-AMERICAN DREAM IN CLASSIC RHYTHM & BLUES

Interviews with the Musical Cast of FROM MY HOMETOWN at the Ensemble Theatre

By Theresa Pisula
June 27, 2013
Houston, Texas
Theresa@HoustonTheatre.com

The Ensemble Theatre presents From My Hometown, a musical celebration of classic rhythm and blues, written by Lee Summers, Ty Stephens, and Herbert Rawlings Jr. 

This musical season finale is directed and choreographed by Patdro Harris with musical direction by Carlton Leake. The teaming of their talents span many years at The Ensemble Theatre resulting in several shows with record breaking attendance including: Ain't Misbehavin, The Wiz, Five Guys Named Moe, Twelve Ways of Christmas, and Cinderella.

From My Hometown tells the story of three wide-eyed strangers, with empty pockets and big dreams who arrive in The Big Apple from Detroit, Memphis and Philly with one goal in mind – to sing at the world famous Apollo Theater. Teaming up and blending the musical sounds of their hometowns, they form a brotherhood spanning more than a decade. This rags to riches celebration of the American Dream, features Motown and R&B classics including "Chain Gang," "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" and "Lonely Teardrops."

In attendance on Opening Night is none other than Lee Summers who conceived, co-authored and composed original songs for From My Hometown.  He not only was part of the original cast of From My Hometown, but also appeared on Broadway in the original production of Dreamgirls.  On opening night, he reminisced about the good ol’ days and laughed about how back then, they were totally broke.  It was funny to hear him say, “I mean, we had nuthin’”, zero, zilch, nothing, nada.  What they did have, which was ALL they had was the Music.  Lucky for us, music was something they had an abundance of.  Music is what nurtured and sustained them so they can dream and cultivate their hopes for the future.  I can positively attest that this statement remains true for me as of today.  Even at my lowest point in life, music inspires me to get up every morning to start my life anew, to venture a new beginning and to make changes in my life that will correct my erroneous ways of yesterday.

The interviews were conducted prior to the Opening Night performance of featured cast members which include Ensemble Theatre veteran actors Anthony Boggess-Glover, Ron Johnson, and newcomer from Washington D.C. Jobari Parker-Namdar.

Ron Johnson also known as “Ron John,” is often described as a triple threat for his versatility as a singer, actor and his timely comedic routines.  He is the energy and pulse of the rising group, “Six Minutes ‘til Sunrise!”  Ron John is a uniquely talented tenor whose haunting voice leaves an indelible imprint on every note.  He moves effortlessly between Jazz, R&B and Gospel with what is undoubtedly a style that is all his own.  A true entertainer, seeing him in a live show is an experience that will take you on a musical and theatrical journey.  Having an impressive body of work appearing in several theater productions, and most recently, as an original cast member of the hit musical Cinderella at The Ensemble Theatre, Ron has sung behind Grammy, Dove and Stellar Award winning artists and has proven to be as versatile as they come.  His musical and theatre performances has amazed all generations.  When performing, Ron John wants people to feel all kinds of emotions when they hear him and to fall into his zone of entertainment.  His motto in life has been taken from the writings of James Dean, “Dream as if you’ll live forever.  Live as if you’ll die today.”

Theresa:  Nice to meet you Ron John!  How are you?

Ron John:  I’m good!  It’s a great day.  The show’s starting tonight…..

Theresa:  Tell us about the part that you’re playing….

Ron John:  The part that I’m playing, the character’s name is Philly.  He’s from Philadelphia.  Philly is the studious, sometimes nerdy and sometimes “afraid” character.  At the same time, he could be the voice of reason.  Philly really wants to make sure that everything comes together and sticks together for the group.  So, he will be the Otis of the Temptations, which is the group in this show.

Theresa:  What can you tell us about the show?

Ron John:  The show is amazing.  It talks about, as you’ll see eventually, three young individuals who come from three totally different backgrounds but have some similarities that connect them together.  Once you see the show, the family connection, more musically, more dealing with fathers, the connection is there for my character, for Detroit and for Memphis.  It gives us that feeling of affinity for each other.  We encourage each other when it comes to the script and to the story line.

Theresa:  It says here you’re a triple threat…..

Ron John:  I can be (laughs).

Theresa:  (Laughs) you dance too?

Ron John:  I will be what you call a mover, not a trained dancer.  But if I see it, I can do it.

Theresa:  You’re a singer, an actor and a comedian.

Ron John:  Yes, I’m an Improv comedian.  I can do it all.  Some people say I should really do stand up comedy because of the stuff that I come up with on the spot is just ridiculous.

Theresa:  Why did you become an actor?

Ron John:  It wasn’t intentional.  I was just a character by nature.  A director had an opportunity to cast me for a show years ago.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I was really good at the performance.  A lot of the other directors that were there saw me and they began to have me come and audition for different shows.  And one thing led to another and then I met the musical director for this show at another event that I was doing and he wanted me to audition here at the Ensemble Theatre.  I did.  I didn’t really think I was going to be cast.  But here I am four years later, my fourth show with the Ensemble Theatre.

Theresa:  The first role that made you want to become an actor, was that a singing role?

Ron John:  You know what, it wasn’t.  It had one song in the show but it was really a drama.  Believe it or not, a lot of people didn’t know that I could sing until the end of the show and I sung the song.  And then it kind of really sparked my passion.  I went back and forth, should I do drama?  Should I sing?  And because I really love entertainment, musical theatre really piqued my interest.

Theresa:  What made you go into acting?

Ron John:  Just as a release.  I do work corporately as well, full time.  Theatre became a release for me.  It became something that I could get away from reality for so many hours of the day, and of the week.  I can get onstage and perform and have a really, really, really great time.  And then go back to the every day life of corporate America.  I love it, doing both.

Theresa:  Oh, so you have a day job.

Ron John:  I do.  One day, I’ll be able to do this as a profession.  Right now, I have to do what pays the bills and then theatre I do at night.

Theresa:  Who would you dedicate this performance to?

Ron John:  I would dedicate this performance to my nephew Terrelle.  I wouldn’t call him my favorite nephew but he’s actually going to be coming to live with me in the fall.  He’s now starting to get into the Arts more and more.  He’ll have a chance to come and see me perform.  But I definitely want to dedicate tonight’s performance to him so that way he can see his uncle in action.  It will be his first time seeing me.

Theresa:  How old is he?

Ron John:  He’s 13.  So tonight he’ll have an opportunity to see me perform.

Theresa:  Are you originally from Houston?

Ron John:  I am originally from Houston, born and raised.  I grew up in Clear Lake and I later moved to downtown Houston when I became an adult after college.  Now I reside in the Third Ward area of Houston.

Theresa:  What do you think of this opportunity to star in From My Hometown?

Ron John:  By far, it’s the most challenging role.  They really challenge me this year because it’s a three-man cast.  So I enjoyed it every step of the way.

Theresa:  What did you have to do to prepare for the role?

Ron John:  A lot of healthy eating because it takes a lot of stamina to do this type of role.  It’s a lot of singing, dancing and acting and you do not leave the stage at all.  There are no other people that will come on and give you a breather.  Once you’re onstage, you’re on.  Over the past six months, just a lot of conditioning and preparing myself for this role.  But I love it!  Love it!  I wouldn’t go back and change anything.

Theresa:  What would you say to the Houston theatre-going audience?

Ron John:  You definitely do not want to miss this show.  Not only because I’m in it (smiles) but more so if you love some of the old school music that would bring you back to some of the old school dancing, this would be the show to come and see.  In this show, you’ll actually get a chance to sing along and clap and all that good stuff as we perform onstage for you.

Jobari Parker-Namdar is a Washington D. C. native and is excited to be making his Ensemble Theatre debut.  Past credits include:  Three Little Birds (world premiere), My Fair Lady, Hairspray, A Year with Frog and Toad (Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical) and Showboat.  Jobari is a graduate of both the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Howard University.  He is a classically trained vocalist but from my perspective, he has a way about him that is just classically.....sexy.

Theresa:  How are you?

Jobari:  I’m well.

Theresa:  Tell us about the part that you’re playing......

Jobari:  I’m playing Detroit.  He is a kind of angry, street-wise city slicker of the group, but still new to New York.  He has a bit of a temper.

Theresa:  What can you tell us about the show?

Jobari:  It is amazing.  It’s the story of these three guys that come together, solo artists in their own right.  But they realize that together they are greater than they are on their own.  So they’re just trying to find their way.  It’s kind of a coming-of-age story almost.  Each tries to find their way in a new city from their hometown.

Theresa:  What inspired you to be an actor?

Jobari:  I kind of just fell into it.  I studied classical voice first.  When I was at the University of Michigan, I studied classical voice out there.  I was actually cast as C. C. in Dreamgirls in my first semester there.  That kind of started my ascent into theatre.

Theresa:  What did you have to do to prepare for this role?

Jobari:  I just had to be very open to the process.  It’s my first time in Houston, my first time working at the Ensemble Theatre.  The only person I knew down here was Patdro Harris, the director.  So it’s kind of a leap of faith, getting all the way and coming down here.  But I just relied on my training and was very open to the way everyone worked down here.  Just getting used to the amount of singing was……you can’t overwork too soon.  You have to like build up to being show-ready.  But I’ve sung a lot so I was prepared to go onto that process.

Theresa:  Who would you dedicate this performance to?

Jobari:  I would dedicate it to my mother Pamela Parker who lives in Manhattan right now.  She is the driving force behind me in being an artist.  She put me in the Duke Ellington School for the Arts when I was coming out of middle school.  And I did not want to go.  But she forced me to go.

Theresa:  Why not?

Jobari:  I had all my friends and stuff.  Kids don’t think about things like that.  I also want to dedicate it to her because she might not be able to make it.  She prides herself in coming to see all my shows.

Theresa:  What would you say to the Houston theatre-going audience?

Jobari:  It’s really a fun time.  We try to entertain on multiple levels.  We want to give you the songs you have heard of, that you are familiar with in a new way.  We’re gonna give you some new songs and a story you might not be familiar with.  It’s just the three of us out there and we’re letting it all hang out.

Theresa:  Is the band going to be onstage?

Jobari:  They’re offstage.  They’re live.  The audience can’t see them but they’re live.

Theresa:  Wow.  I can’t wait.  How big is the band?

Jobari:  It’s a four-piece:  piano, keyboards, bass and drum.

Theresa:  That’s awesome!

(L-R)  Anthony Boggess-Glover, Jobari Parker-Namdar and Ron Johnson star in FROM MY HOMETOWN.  Written by Lee Summers, Ty Stephens and Herbert Rawlings Jr. and Directed and Choreographed by Patdro Harris with Musical Direction by Carlton Leake, FROM MY HOMETOWN is showing through July 28, 2013 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA.  For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

It is always a pleasure to interview Anthony Boggess-Glover whose immense passion for life translates into a magnificent voice, a resounding laugh and ultimately into a huge performance.  He is a 25-year veteran of The Ensemble Theatre.  His professional appearances include work with the Houston Grand Opera, the Alley Theatre, TUTS, The Great Caruso Dinner Theatre and Main Street Theatre just to name a few.  Among his favorite performances are Sanctified, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Showboat, The Tap Dance Kid, The Twelve Ways of Christmas, The Wiz and Five Guys Named Moe (starring T. C. Carson).  Check out our interview with Anthony back in 2010:

Five Guys Named Moe 2010

Anthony is a Vocal Musical Graduate of HSPVA, attended the University of Houston and SUNY Purchase in New York.  He’s performed abroad in China, Egypt, Norway and Portugal and been afforded the honor of performing for the last six U. S. Presidents.  He’s been the Artistic and Musical Director for the NAACP ACT-SO Competition and Gala since 1997.  He dedicates his performance to Otis Boggess (Daddy), Kenneth Glover and Darrell McNeese (brothers, all deceased) and his loving mother LaVerne Williams.

Anthony:  How are you?

Theresa:  I’m great!  I can’t wait to see the show…….

Anthony:  You will be dancing in the aisles.

Theresa:  Tell us about the part that you’re playing…..

Anthony:  I am Memphis, all the way from Memphis, Tennessee.  I am the country boy.  Everybody calls me Jethro (laughs).  But Jethro comes with a lot of knowledge, a lot of music.  Everybody’s talking about Motown, everybody’s talking about Philly and I talk about Stax-O-Wax, Isaac Hayes, Dave Porter and Sam & Dave.  So that’s the kind of music……I’m coming from music with soul.  So that’s who I play.

Theresa:  What can you tell us about the show?

Anthony:  The show is so much fun.  We have the very first number, literally lasts about 10 minutes.  We have six songs in one thing, that’s in a medley of songs.  When you get through, you’ll say “Oh my God!”  It moves and moves and moves.

Songs From My Hometown

From My Hometown……..written by Lee Summers

I Love Music……written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff

Cool Jerk……………....written by Donald Storball

Sweet Soul Music…………written by Sam Cooke

Bone Dry………..………written by Lee Summers

Confrontation……...…….written by Lee Summers

Land of Thousand Dances…written by Chris Kenner

(What A) Wonderful World……written by Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert and Lou Adler

Sideshow…….written by Vinnie Barrett and Bobby Eli

(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay……...words and music by Stephen Lee Cropper & Otis Redding

Working In A Coal Mine…..written by Allen Toussaint

Chain Gang………..…………..written by Sam Cooke

Come To Me For Love……..written by Lee Summers

Give Me Just A Little More Time……………words and music by Ronald Dunbar & Edythe Wayne

I’ve Come To Get It (What Is “It”?)”……written by Ty Stephens

Oh Girl……………………………..….written by Eugene Record

Walkin’ The Dog………….…words and music by Rufus Thomas

I’m Your Puppet……….written by Dan Peen & Spooner Oldham

Hold On I’m Comin…....written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter

I Feel Good (I Got You)………….……..written by James Brown

Sunny……………………….written by Bobby Hebb

Try A Little Tenderness………..….…written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly & Harry M. Woods

Me And Mrs. Jones………written by Kenny Gamble, Cary Grant Gilbert & Leon Huff

Giving Up………………..……..written by Van McCoy

Tobacco Road…….words and music by John D. Loudermilk

Three Man Groups………….written by Lee Summers, Ty Stephens & Will Barrow

It’s All Right…………….….written by Curtis Mayfield

That Lady Part One……….written by O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley & Rudolph Isley

Have You Seen Her…………written by Eugene Record & Barbara Acklin

Ooh Child……………….written by Stan Vincent

I Want You To Stand By Me (Unity’s Theme)…written by Lee Summers & Ty Stephens

*Additional Music Arrangements by Carlton Leake

 
(L-R)   Jobari Parker-Namdar, Ron Johnson and Anthony Boggess-Glover sing their hearts out in FROM MY HOMETOWN.  Written by Lee Summers, Ty Stephens and Herbert Rawlings Jr. and Directed and Choreographed by Patdro Harris with Musical Direction by Carlton Leake, FROM MY HOMETOWN is showing through July 28, 2013 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA.  For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

Theresa:  What did you have to do to prepare for your role?

Anthony:  I did a lot of research on the music that we’re doing, you know the Holland-Dozier-Holland, Sammy Davis.  I do a lot of Otis Redding pieces.  I also had to kind of research on Memphis.  You know because although they say that we’re from the South here in Houston, Texas, Memphis is one of those places that live for Country Music!  (Laughs) Memphis Tennessee, oh my God, are you serious?  But I had an edge because our musical director Carlton Leake is from Memphis, Tennessee.  So I had the opportunity to talk to him about that.  What’s really nice about it is that it’s a three-man show.  And people just freak out, “I cannot believe the three of you are carrying this whole show for 2 hours.”

Theresa:  Who would you dedicate this performance to?

Anthony:  I would like to dedicate this performance to all of those groups and those musical mentors that went before us.  We are actually honoring them with their music.  It is a joy!  I cannot tell you how much of a joy it is for me to sing “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” and “Try a Little Tenderness” and listen to people in the audience.  They say, “Oh my God!  This is stuff that I grew up on.”  You know?  It’s definitely to those people because if it not had been for them, I wouldn’t be able to do that tonight.

Theresa:  What would you say to the Houston theatre-going audience about this show?

Anthony:  Be ready for a journey.  It’s a journey from the downbeat of the beginning to the downbeat at the end.  You never know what to expect.  It is one of those things that you don’t want the audience to know what’s gonna happen next.  You know, you always keep them in suspense.  So, I think they’ll love it.

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The Ensemble Theatre Presents Season Finale Musical FROM MY HOMETOWN

HOUSTON, June 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Who/What:  The Ensemble Theatre presents From My Hometown, a musical celebration of classic rhythm and blues, written by Lee Summers, Ty Stephens, and Herbert Rawlings Jr. 

When: Previews: Saturday, June 22, 2013: 8:00 p.m.

    Sunday, June 23, 2013: 3:00 p.m.

    Wednesday, June 26, 2013: 7:30 p.m.

  Show Run: June 27 – July 28, 2013

    Thursdays: 7:30 p.m.

    Fridays: 8:00 p.m.

    Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

    Sundays: 3:00 p.m.

Where: The Ensemble Theatre

  3535 Main St.

  Houston, TX 77002

  713-520-0055

  www.ensemblehouston.com

The Ensemble Theatre's 2012-2013 Season is sponsored in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. United Airlines is the exclusive airline sponsor for The Ensemble Theatre. From My Hometown is generously sponsored by Chevron.

The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. Thirty-six years later, the theatre has evolved from a touring company operating from the trunk of Mr. Hawkins' car to being one of Houston's finest historical cultural institutions. The Ensemble is one of a few professional theatres in the region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. The oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres owning and operating its facility and producing in-house. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble's $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997. The Ensemble Theatre has fulfilled and surpassed the vision of its founder and continues to expand and create innovative programs to bring African American theatre to myriad audiences.